Always watching out for you
by NightmareSoulAngel16
Summary: Disclaimer: The wonderful characters belong to Richelle Mead. Anyways this is the first story I have ever write, so enjoy and review. Advice on what to do is always loved. This story is told from a young boys view as he sets out to do the one thing he believes he was born to do. Kill strigoi and protect his sister and her best friend. This is his story of the VA world. R
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Goodbye my beloved family."My last words I spoke as they slept soundlessly in their master bedroom. My little sister wrapped under my mother's left arm and my father's right. I just wanted to watch them, but I couldn't. I had to get away from them. Not for me but for them. It wasn't that I was any trouble to them; it's that I wasn't just some six year old who wanted to go to a moroi school and grow up in politics. I wanted to protect those I cared for no matter what it cost me. Besides politics didn't really suit my interest.

I knew more than any six year old should about how the world works. Most from watching and learning from my grandfather. Being part of a royal family was hard enough. Being part of a dying one was even harder. So I decided to leave, but first I needed to make sure my brother would keep his mouth shut about this. I already whipped my families' minds of my existence. Not one would remember ever watching their spirit using little boy laughing a playing around with them. Only my brother would and lucky was I that I wasn't introduced to the world yet. I was good with my powers but I couldn't erase everyone's minds. Could I? I laughed thinking of what could happen in the near future when I honed in on them.

Spirit was lost but there were a few books I found in a cabin out in the woods a few nights ago. I stayed up all day and night reading about what it could do. There weren't many solid facts but a lot of rumors about dream walking, healing, mind control, and charming stakes. Mind control was all I needed to learn then so I practiced on my guardian. I started simple making him do simple tasks he normally wouldn't do. Such as leaving me alone when he's to be guarding me or making him forget minor things. Then I progressed onto harder tasks such as making him forget important events and causing trouble. Before I knew it I had mastered this and I could easily heal things like animals and minor wounds. I was set and ready to leave to do whatever I could to rid this world of strigoi.

So the day before I had walked up to my guardian while he was reading his favorite book "Three." A really boring boom threat story if you ask me. I mean the main character had problems that should have been easily noticeable. The funny thing was his lover was himself. I mean the professor was my favorite character. Anyways I pulled is shirt to get his attention. "Mister Tom." I said trying to look him in his eyes. Not easy when he stands at six foot one. I mean I was tall for my age at four foot five I was up to his waist.

"If it isn't my favorite little boy." He jokingly laughed as he picked me up in his arms and set me on his lap after putting his book down careful not to lose the page number

. "Did they figure out it was him yet?" I asked pointing to his book with a smirk across my lips. His eyebrow rose as he clearly wasn't that far yet. I laughed as he realized what I had just said.

"Always taking the fun away from me aren't you. Can't I read a book without you spoiling the end for once? I mean some of us just can't read as fast as you or make since of the story plot." He smirked figuring I didn't understand most of what he said.

"Oh please if you want to waste your time reading that boring book, go ahead it might teach you that not all stories have the happy ever after ending you adults beat into our young minds." I laughed as his eyes widened. Gottcha, I locked eyes with him and started reading his thought. He was surprised but soon that faded as I input my directive into his mind and erased my existence. His mind lit up like a firework as his head dropped.

Later that night I came to find he had been killed by a strigoi after he hit on his superior. A tear slipped down my cheek as I regretted making him hit on his boss. I meant only to get him sent to jail so he couldn't come back to me in case I failed at messing with his memory. I went to my room and sat on my bed thinking about what had happened earlier that day. How his pearl white smile would never be seen by anyone again. How his grainy beard would never comfort anyone again. His strong features that made him so handsome to many moroi never put to us. And no family to moron his lose. I know I shouldn't feel like he was family. But I didn't care even if he was a dhampir like my sisters best friend. I know we are taught they are only here to protect us but I couldn't watch as they were mistreated. It's why I didn't have many moroi friends. So I raised my fist over my heart and vowed to leave that day.

That brings me to now as I walked into my brother's room. My heartbeat was fast and my hands sweaty with my short flashback of events. I clenched my fist and knocked on his door. The noise barely loud enough for him to hear. For some reason my hearing was acute cause I could hear his heart skip a beat as he jolted awake and walked towards his door. Almost instantly I could tell he knew it was me. His aura lit up as he opened the door and pulled me inside locking the door behind him. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked as he sat down on his bed. My nose cringed as I thought I smelled like musky sweat and some other strange smell. I nodded and hugged him. Then I erased his mind and he fell down onto his bed knocked out. I smiled and left his room running to mine as quietly as I could. I frowned as it seemed during the night the halls all changed and it became a maze. But after a while I made it to my room grabbed everything a needed. A silver stake, the book from the cabin, some food, and a small blanket. I already had money in my pocket that should help me out later on, but I took some more and put it in the backpack before closing it and slinging it over my shoulder. I opened my window and was about to climb out but I decided to go to the kitchen for a quick snack. So I set my bag down and tip toed down the grand stairs to the kitchen. About three feet from the door I jumped to the wall hearing someone inside.

I peaked around to see my sister's best friend with my sister eating a snack. They turned my way but I had already ducked behind the wall. I ran to the left as I heard one of them coming towards me. Slipping into the broom closet I heard them start to talk."Stay here it could be a strigoi." I heard as footsteps left the kitchen, but then I heard someone running and the first pair stopped and sounded like she was yanked back.

"Stop you can't go out there; you're not a guardian yet. Please stop and let's go get someone." My sister thankfully intervened. I waited a few minutes before I left and ran back upstairs grabbing my bag and climbing out the window. I knew I had only a little time before guardians swarmed the house and got to everyone. So I ran to the church and ducked and hid behind grave stones. Before long I was there and heading to the walls. Getting there was easy getting over was the hard part. Luckily Tom had taught my some things and from there I learned by myself so I wedged myself between a building and a wall looking up at a tree as a tear slipped across my face. I whipped it away with my sleeve and slowly pushed myself up the moss covered stone wall. It was cold and rough against my back but I bit my lip and reached for the nearest branch and pulled myself up. Satisfied I climbed over the wall in the tree and slide down the tree and rolled reducing the force of the landing. It stung but I pushed forward and off into the forest looking towards my future and silently saying my goodbyes to everyone. Most had forgotten and sooner or later I would never be remembered. A tear slipped down my cheek as I dodged tree roots and trees.

I came to a dirt road around an hour later just as daylight began to fade. It had been twelve am when I left and I knew it was noon by now. So I began to look for shelter for the night so I could reduce the threat of strigoi attacks. After an hour of searching I found a cave hidden extremely well. Perfect I thought as I knelt down and opened my bag grabbing To—my stake. No time to cry I was no little kid I had to keep going, so I did surprised to find it was empty except for a fresh water lake inside. Looks like my luck is holding up so far I laughed setting my bag down and walking slowly over to the lake. It smelled so great after everything I had just been through. So I jumped in not caring how cold it was against my skin. I stayed under water for a minute or two enjoying the fill of the water until my lungs ran low on oxygen so I swam back up breaking the surface with a splash.

After an hour of swimming I got out and took off my soaked shirt laying it under me as I slowly dried off. Closing my eyes I dreamed of my family and how they would change without me ever being there. Would my sister still fight for what she believes in or would she become the snobs I never could get along with. Hopefully she wouldn't hate anyone like me. Then I thought of my brother who hit on so many girls. A laugh filled the room and I realized I was staring up at the ceiling laughing. Oh, how I would miss every time my sister would smile and how her friend would act so tough to protect her. I smiled knowing hopefully I made the right choice. No matter what happens from now on I'll watch over them in my dreams. I looked around the cave for a spot to set everything up and found it instantly. It was right under a hole in the ceiling and when I looked out a crescent moon was just breaking out through the clouds. When I thought about it now I knew that that moon meant something to me. I reached towards it and laughed imagining I could feel it touching my being. That was impossible right? Who knew it could I mean stranger things have happened.

I pulled out the blanket and laid it across the smooth sandstone ground. It stood out as a royal blue color against the sandy colors that surrounded it. I was finally dry after two hours so I put my shirt back on and laid down on the soft thin blanket. I didn't know what it was made of but it sure was comfortable. That's when I remember that I left one shred of evidence behind, my birth record. It sat hidden in a safe somewhere in the house only my father knew someday they would find it but maybe by then I would be back to explain. Until then I didn't really care at this point as sleep soon took me over. The last thing I remember was holding my stake close to my chest as I closed my eyes for the last time that night.

I smiled and opened my eyes to a full moon and sighed as I sat up staring of into the lights of the city. Remembering that night was hard enough these past few years but tonight I was happy I still held onto my past. Now at the age of seventeen I barely looked back or remembered my past. So much has changed since then and I was never around. And to make matters worse I sensed strigoi sounding my location fast. I jumped to my feet and woke my best friend. He jumped to a start about to complain when he took one look at m face and knew. Immediately he grabbed his stake and crept towards the metallic door. My stake already in hand I followed behind him ready to take down the next one I knew would come. Just as we reached the door the door went flying at us. I jumped to the right spinning on my hand to automatically launch myself at the attackers. They were fast but I was faster, in a second I had his arm pinned to the wall and my stake entering his chest. I looked him in his red ringed eyes and wished him safe travels before his body crumbled to the ground.

A fist came flying at me and it was a good thing I had great reflexes because I barely dodged it. I looked back at her to see she had at least ten more backing her up. I took a quick glance back to see Blitz holding his bleeding head. "Shit" I swore silently as he was surrounded by what looked to be twenty. Damn they must have gotten smarter because this was a large force. Suddenly my right eye started to hurt and the world started to loop in circles and blur. I realized I had been punched and I turned just in time to be pinned to a wall with both my arms pinned to the brick wall. Then I felt it a sharp pair of fangs pierced my neck. It hurt but then to it started to fade instantly. I took a deep breath and trusted my shoulder into her mouth and I heard what I realized was her fang snapping. I smiled and ran up her body forcing the two holding my arms to let go as a preformed a flip and landed. My vision cleared as the adrenaline kicked in rapidly. Before I could react I was kicked into the brick wall. I knew it broke because the next thing I knew I was dangling over the edge of the building. Looking up I saw a new female strigoi grabbing my arm.

"Drop the stake and I'll keep you alive for now." She hissed. I looked around for another way to escape. Shit there was none, or at least one that would work to my advantage. Then I saw it like it was glowing path way. I scratched her hand with the stake and dropped. Immediately I grabbed the ledge and pulled myself up as I punched through the window and fell onto the wooden floor. Luckily no one lived in this abandoned hotel. The door burst open and one of them charged me again as I just got to my feet. Spinning under his first punch I staked him through his back wishing him farewell as he fell out the window. Another instantly leapt forward only to meet my extended kick. He stumbled back just as I jumped forward placing my hand on his shoulder and launching myself at his teammate. My stake clipped his friend's neck as I knocked him into the wall causing it to break. Coming to my senses I looked up as a foot kicked me straight in the chest. Hearing my ribcage crack I lose control of my breathing and started to cough. The adrenaline had worn off by now and all the pain came at me all at once and I couldn't help but let out a small cry of pain.

They pulled me to my feet and dragged me up the stairs to the roof where I saw him. The strigoi female I had forced to let go of me had my best friend between her fangs. My eyes widened when I realized he was about dead. She prepared to snap his neck and I looked down. I looked down and hoped if he died that this time I would die with the ones I loved most. There was no point in begging them to stop and no point in ever showing them weakness. "Force him to watch I want him to see this before he goes." She smirked as my head was forced up. "Watch as you friend undergoes the change." Change what!? Not now I couldn't watch as she drained him. I know this was just about as bad as it can be. I looked him in the eye only to see the fear he had been holding and every moment of his life shatter. He was gone and I was my fault again. I let another one of my friends die to the hands of strigoi. He so far has had the worst fate of being turned.

I watched in agony as she slit her wrist and tilted his head back so he would swallow the blood. After a minute he coughed and he looked at me with murderous lust in his eyes. Coming to his feet he walked slowly towards me. I swore I would free him of this curse if it was the last thing I did. Because with what I had left I grabbed the strigoi holding me and with all my force flipped him over my back, and kicked him at my newly turned strigoi friend. They both fell back as the others rushed forward. I gripped my hidden stake and spun around and staked the broken fanged female and used her as my shield while I took down strigoi after strigoi.

It hurt so much to watch what I had been so close to attack you. He and I were the last two standing as bodies covered the floor. It was almost sunrise and the winds were calming but I was too busy to notice as I dropped a formally turned dhampir. I should have used my magic but I had vowed never to use it to fight anyone until now. With a simple snap of my figures his body burst into flames as he jumped at me. His body hit the ground as he cried out in pain. I watched as the sun rose and the fire fade away. The burning started as I stepped on his stomach. "Kill me." He screamed and begged as he covered his burning face. So I did hearing him thank me as he finally fell apart turning into dust. I placed his stake in the ground and left never looking back. "It's time to find someone to teach me. I Oathkeeper Dragomir will become strong enough to protect my family and friends." I whispered to myself as I changed then and there.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Hey old man, what's for dinner?" I asked watching him slave away at his stove. It smelled good and it was the fifth night I woke up to the same nightmare of watching blitz die by my stake. It had been a month since that day and I just couldn't get over how I had failed him so much. Oh yeah, the old man is my foster father basically. Well two weeks ago he found me lying in a pool of blood and lucky for me him being a moroi he helped me up and carried me to his home. When I got there he cleaned me up and tried to heal me but I stopped him. Showing him that I could heal myself only to find him surprised as hell. "So you're like the two royal moroi at court. What were their names…?" He asked running his fingers through his naturally sun streaked brown hair.

"You mean Vasilisa Dragomir and I didn't know there was one." I said wondering who could be the other spirit using moroi.

"Oh yeah Vasilisa, such a wonderful child. And that Hathaway kid isn't a good influence on her. She's a little trouble maker." His face locked in annoyance as he said Hathaway. The slightest glint of fear was in his eyes. Wow I knew pissing Rose off was bad enough when I was around but now that she's fifteen….Only God could save the men who annoyed her. I mean I only ever set her off once when she was five. She was new and I had found her playing around with Vasilisa. They were taking turns playing on the swings while I had just walked out of the house. Tom was laughing about how he'd just killed a high ranking strigoi or something like that with the adults. So Vasilisa was pushing Rose and she stopped and called me over. I smiled and walked over and gently pushed Rose and she was off. Vasilisa smiled and took my hand leading me to a small wooden bench. I asked her why we were here and she laughed calling Rose over. Rose ran over smiling and sat to my right and Vasilisa to the left. Anyways we played for a few hours until me and Rose started to climb trees seeing who was faster. Long story short I won and Rose didn't like losing. So the day ended with me having a bloody nose. Yeah you can never tell who can hurt you.

I came out of my daze as the old man waved his hand in front of my eyes yelling something. When I finally caught on I grabbed his wrist to stop him. "You ok? You seem a bit out of it. Do you have a concussion? Oh God are you going to…" I covered his mouth to shut him up. God did people always talk so much?

"I'm fine just remembering some past events. Besides you're not my mother so stop worrying." We both started laughing wondering what it would be like if he was. "Anyways shouldn't you get to your meal? I think it's on fire." Sure enough it was and it was burning. I found it funny when he threw a bucket of what he thought was water onto the fire only to find out he threw gasoline instead. Man that fireball was big and hard to catch, but I did and after a while forced it to go away. He was on the ground looking as if the house was about to get boomed. I just laughed and fell off the table causing him to laugh. Damn that hurt I thought getting back up and sitting in the wooden chair.

After a couple hours we had calmed down and started to get know each other. "So you don't know your name…" It wasn't far off I mean I lose my last name when I left and Oathkeeper wasn't my real name, Roxas. Roxas Dragomir sounds strange so I changed it, but I never could find the right name for it. "… you're a spirit/fire user and you have never been to court." He finished looking straight at me and I swear he knew right then and there I was lying. The question was would he call me on it. "Well then I'll find you a name young man and from now on you live here. No exceptions." He got up and left the room before I could object. Damnit.

Two weeks later I had got to know him more and the fact he did know he just didn't care. Oh, and his name was Olezka Ivashkov which I found hilarious since his family was in power right now. He's also a spirit user like me who has taken me under his wing to learn to use it more effectively since the other elements drain me. Not that I know them just fire for now. Well I always thought if a moroi tried hard enough they could at least learn one other element. It makes sense to me at least, and really why shouldn't you be able to. Just because you're born a spirit user doesn't mean you should have to only heal and stay away from the battle field. Anyways a few days ago he taught me how to use spirit to move small objects and it was hard. He said for a spirit user I was probably the worst he'd e seen in ages. Thanks for the self esteem jackass. So in conclusion all I learned was how bad I was at spirit and how draining it was.

Well today we are going on a mountain climb with no protection. Oh he's going down. "You're on gramps" I yelled as I started to climb the face of the mountain. He just laughed and within a few minutes disappeared from view. I was pretty sure I was going to win until I reached the top and he was sitting there drinking jasmine tea. "What the…" He laughed and the next thing he said would have had him on his ass in Roses book.

"You do know there were stairs right?" He smiled and took a sip of his tea and sure enough right behind him were stairs leading all the way down the mountain. I just wasted two hours climbing a mountain and he just drank tea the whole time?! "Not very observant are you?" He held up his hand just as I began to respond. "It's a wonder you can even kill a strigoi." He laughed as he stood up and was in front of me with in a second. His movements were quick but he was faster than anyone should be able to move. Was he strigoi, or was my mind playing tricks on me. There's no way some old man can even move that fast. Instantly I had my hand on my…. "No need to worry there are wards around this mountain. If I were what you believe I am to be then I could not be here." He said tossing my stake to the tree line.

"Then explain how you did that. Because last time I checked old men can move and people sure as hell can't teleport?" I watched him nervously as he walked towards me and vanished. I looked around ready to kick his sorry old ass when a hand tapped my shoulder and I turned to see him. "Cut it out and stay in one places from more than five seconds." I yelled trying to grab his hand and flip him. Well it didn't fail exactly I mean I got his hand he just flipped me onto the ground.

"It looks like I should call up my niece and have her teach you how to fight. Besides she needs to get out more often." He reached into his pocket and grabbed his black berry phone and dialed the number. "Yeah….the mountain…in an hour….ok bye." He hung up and held his hand out from me. I grabbed his hand and pulled him down and pinned him down.

"What now old man looks like you…" He reversed the pin before I could finish and somehow tied my hands up in the time it took to get up. I sighed finally admitting defeat and just watched him pace back and forth for twenty minutes. By then I was bored and already planning round two. I blocked my thoughts from him and started to think as time passed on.

When I came to I was greeted by a seventeen year old female moroi grabbing my hand and pulling me up to my feet. She had straight brown hair that framed her face beautifully and emerald green filled with a raging fire. Wow was an understatement but that's all I could say at the moment. "Looks like my uncle went to hell on you." She laughed as she circled me twice and stopped in front of me. Extending her hand I took it and shook it. "My names Roxine Ivashkov and you are?" She asked letting go of my hand.

"I'm Case." I replied using the name the old man gave me. "So you're the old mans niece." I smiled and glared at him. He didn't tell me she was my age. I was never good with talking to women. Boy was I in for a long day of hardship, but she didn't waste any time before sweeping my leg out from under me. The next thing I knew I was on the ground with a stake over my heart.

"You're dead Case." She said with a smug smirk plastered on her face. "I can see why the "old man" called me up here now." She laughed making air quotes around the old man part.

"Yeah I guess so my reflexes have dulled since….the last time I fault. So I guess you'll be teaching me then." I looked up to meet her eyes to see her enjoying winning. Oh shit, was this going to be Rose all over again. Speaking of which I should visit her and she how she's grown. I waited for her to get off and slowly got to my feet as she walked back to her uncle. Putting her stake away into her slim black jeans that matched her small v-cut black t-shirt, she sat down and poured herself some tea. I sat down opposite to her after a few minutes and watched the old man go on and on about correct posture.

By the time we had all left I had learned some very useful moves in countering, defense, and reflexes. It was just turning to sunrise and I was about ready to pass out then and there when Roxine attacked me. The old man shouted began and with a sigh I readied myself to take another beating. The first punch came flying soon after and like a knife cute the side of my cheek. She was fast because as I ducked under her next punch she had maneuvered into a full round house kick landing it strait to my abdomen. I skidded back a few feet and tried to catch my breath only to, for a moment, see her appear in front of me and sweep my legs out from under me. Man she sure loved to kick my ass. "Focus Case focus." The old man yelled as he continued to drink some tea. Focus how the hell am I suppose to do that when I can't see her. That's like trying to find a needle in a haystack when there is no needle. Impossible odds. Crack! My ribs God they were burning now. I couldn't win like this I was going to die if we didn't stop. Luckily she stopped and turned towards her uncle as I healed myself and got up. "Keep going Roxy if he can't survive while you hold back then kill him off." Holding back!? Kill him!? Oh shit I was going to die if I didn't get my shit together. I watched her and suddenly she was gone again and then I was falling to the ground again.

It hurt but not as much as it did before and I mean this time it was worse I could feel my leg snap in two different places. I was lucky the adrenaline was kicking in because I took one deep breath and rolled to the right dodging her foot hitting the ground. The ground seemed to split under her kick then shatter sending dust everywhere. How the hell did I survive the first few kicks she delivered? Crack, another struck out and this time my right shoulder gave way. Damn I had been distracted. Taking a deep breath I began to focus and then it happened. I saw her and her kick was aimed for my neck. With little time to react I pushed her leg out of the way with you left hand and sucking up the pain I forced my right arm to hit her stomach. She let out a small grunt and smiled. "Finally, I see sleeping beauty is waking up." She laughed as she raised her right leg up and brang it straight down towards my chest. In seconds I pushed of the ground with all my might ignoring my body's refusal to move. Her kick missed and I leapt forward tackling her to the ground where I pinned her. Using my full weight to keep her down I grabbed my stake and placed it over her heart.

"You're dead." I said rolling off of her and onto the ground breathing heavily. Was it finally over or was I about to get killed?

"Good job now let's fix you up and head home." The old man laughed standing over me. I raised my hand to heal myself but he stopped me. "No, let the wounds heal naturally. You become stronger that way, Case. Besides I don't know if you noticed yet but spirit brings darkness into the body. An element the living cannot wield. But you have done well today." He said helping me up along with Roxine. So now I have to worry about darkness and how to survive with these two. Well hell I was going to die.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"You're joking right?" I laughed hoping she was. I mean there was no way in hell I was going to jump off the building with nothing to slow down to fall. She maybe hot but she sure as hell has some problems if she thinks I'm jumping.

"Come on it's not that far and look if you live you have something to be proud of." She laughed pushing me towards the edge of the broken railing.

"Wait you mean you've never done this before?" I asked frantically hoping to stall her.

"Nope but look at the bright side theirs a lake at the bottom." She pushed me off following in suit soon after. Remember how I said I had to find a way to survive these two Ivashkov's? Well you can go ahead and kill me off before they do and it sure as hell has got to be less painful then what's to come. Well anyways now that I'm falling to my death with a girl I barely know I think I'll attempt to survive.

The water grew closer and I swear I saw a shark in that water but if the impact didn't kill me it would. Reaching into my sleeve I grabbed my knife hoping that she was right and smack. I sank into the water like the Titanic minus the splitting in half and did it hurt ever so much. Assassin's creed logic lies, Falling from High Place + Hay Barrel/ Tree Branch pile/ Water = Safety?, no they can shove that safety shit up there ass because that shit hurts. Just as I surfaced already losing my knife in the water on impact I about got hit with a human cannon ball. Next thing I'm underwater again swallowing water. Coming back up I spit out about a gallon of water hearing Roxine laughing. "What's so funny little Roxy?" I mocked splashing her.

"You know better than to call me that by now ever the old man doesn't call me that anymore." She swam towards me with my knife in her hand smirking. My only response was laughing and slowly swimming away. Oh right, it had been a week since the mountain trip and I had got to know her a lot better. That and she lived with us now saying if I was ever going to learn anything then she was my only hope. Can't argue with that logic. Well anyways a few days ago I found out that only Vasilisa was left after a horrible car crash. Regretting myself not being there for her I decided I might as well plan a visit to her. She'd gain her memories back if she saw me so I could only hope Rose had gotten nicer by now. Well back to the point, she was dead serious and I knew the glint in her eyes. It was a murderous flame that she could easily pull off. When I reached the shore she was on me in a second thrusting the knife straight at my throat.

Grabbing her wrist and pushing it aside was the easy part, calming her down was next to impossible. She always has to vent her anger out on something and she did. Her target was me and she wasn't having another mockery of herself. Her next attack was a fist aimed straight for my face and rather than dodging it I merely blocked it raising my arms over my face. It didn't hurt too much but it would leave its mark and satisfy her enough for now hopefully. Looking back the old man did say she was on her "time of month". Which I doubted would affect her mood to much, but what does a guy really know? After all we don't have to go through anything like this. So after my train of thought I got up and left her to her business heading back to the house.

When I arrived I was greeted with unwelcome party guest. The whole house was filled with dhampir of all kinds. Half I could tell were novices and a lot were undergrads, but a few were well known guardians. None that I could easily remember since I first left but I vaguely remember one or two. With no plans on chatting or mingling I went straight to the backyard where I normally found the old man smoking. He was talking to a young moroi about something I couldn't hear through the laughter and shouting of the party or meeting, whatever was going on. When I reached him he only smiled at me wrapping his arm around me making me even more confused.

What I found wasn't to interesting but his complexion gave him the make out of a player. At second glance it was clear he was a spirit user or soon to be. That's how I figured Vasilisa was a spirit user before I left and the old man confirming it. Well besides that he sported messy brown hair and emerald green eyes that were full of an artistic hue. They were sharp and extremely absorbent and I could tell he was looking me over. "I'm Case and you are?" I held out my hand and he took it instantly and I caught the strong smell of cigarettes lingering on him.

"I'm Adrian Ivashkov and it's a pleasure to meet you." He smiled faintly and laughed pulling his hand back and into his pocket. Not sure how I missed the Ivashkov part I smiled and locked eyes with him. Well it was obvious he would advance on to drinking if he hadn't already and with what I could see he wasn't the type to sleep with more than one woman in a row. Not saying he was a virgin but I may be wrong. Anyways when I looked away and back to the old man he just nodded. With that I smiled and left heading back to Roxine not sure what to expect.

When I arrived to the hotels outdoor manmade beach I found her laying in the sand soaking up the rays of the sun. She looked calm but if calling her Roxy set her off then I didn't know what would. So I sat down in one of the hotels white lawn chairs watching the ocean pull in waves into the hotels fake beach setting. Well it could be real if it weren't for the concrete that you could hear the water hitting a few feet below everyone's feet. Well enough about that and back to her for the millionth time. She looked back almost knowingly at me and got up slowly and coming towards me. So she can feel when I'm around now, well that's just great. At first you'd think she's a spirit user but no she'd an air user and something the old man won't tell me. Something about it being rare and hard to use effectively for most. Well she can feel the presence of anyone of anything using the feel of the air, sounds stalkerish right? Well ignoring that part it came in handy when finding strigoi and air doubles in for offensive in some cases. For one it can be used to amplify the force of physical attacks and movement. It also can be used like a bladed weapon where you can move air in certain ways to hack and slice things to pieces. Together those two attributes could level the playing field of a moroi and a strigoi, but it took its toll. It weakened the body, lowering stamina, required complete focus had its weakness's, and at times doubled back on the user resulting in major injuries or death. Each element had its own properties but I'm not here to talk about them right now.

She sat down across from me wearing a plain sky blue two piece bikini, not a bad sight but a big distraction for most guys. Not something I found too interesting besides she was only a friend at best and nothing more. She was smiling and I couldn't figure out why. I looked her in the eye and she only smiled wilder like this was some kind of game. "Enjoying the view?" She asked.

"Yeah it's divine." I replied not sure why she was asking about the sun setting over the ocean if that's what she meant. Well anyways it seemed to go well with her. So she got up and went to get something from what I could tell. I just laided back and relaxed as she carried on with whatever she was doing. I didn't remember her bringing a bikini when the old man told us to rent a room at the hotel but I guess it doesn't matter, and I should have brought one anyways. Well after a while I drifted off to sleep only to be woken up after someone poured ice cold water on my head. I didn't open my eyes right away but I did hear her laughing as I flinched from the cold water going down my back. When I opened my eyes she was standing behind me looking straight down at me. "Oh, hey. Need anything?" I asked curiously.

"No or at least not yet." She smiled and then walked away swaying her hips from side to side. I just shrugged her odd scene of events off as a normal teenager, and stood up walking out towards the beach and out of the hotel. I had my phone on me so I decided to go on a walk in the forest tonight. I need sometime alone something didn't feel right, but I couldn't tell what. It was like something really bad was happening or going to happen. I continued to walk forward not watching where I was going anymore as I was lost in thought.

A flash of a bright flash light brought me out of my deep thought as I stood in front of a metallic gate. At first I thought it was some teens messing around in the graveyard but at second glance I saw a young female. She was at least fifteen and clearly a dhampir from what I could see. She had wave curled sun streaked chestnut brown hair and a figure most girls I've known killed for. Well for short she was attractive and looked very athletic end of story. I looked to her left can to see she was holding a silver stake and in her right a flash light. I wasn't sure why she would need the flash light as she could see a lot better without it and it would alert anyone nearby that she was there. It was easy to see she was hunting strigoi, but was obviously untrained and most likely unpromised.

With a sigh I grabbed the cool metal frame of the gate and forced myself up and over the pointed fence. Landing as silently as I could I slide across the ground behind the closest tombstone I could. When I peeked out from behind it she was close to the smog of the tree line. You could hear the crow's caws that warned her to turn back and leave. Ignoring them as they flew off sensing the same dark entity I was that lingered just beyond, she moved into the smog and her image became just a blur. Quickly knowing she would die if she were left alone I sprinted forward to the tree's and around the growing smog. My plan was to flank the strigoi that were about to get the jump on her and take them out one by one.

I basically ran up the first tree I saw and started running across multiple branches until I was right above my first target. I was a recently turned human male in his mid twenty's, he looked right up at where I was and I could tell he dismissed the noise I had made running across the tree branches as possibly a small animal. Luckily the leaves and darkness of the night kept me hidden and before long he turned around and got ready to assault the girl. My hand slide into my right sleeve where I gripped my curved knives with my left hand. Pulling both out I gripped one in each and tested the sharpness of each on the tree where it cut in deep. Satisfied I crept along the branch above him and dropped right behind him with my first knife pointed straight down towards his throat. I hit the ground at the same time the knife cut threw his throat and voice box. Unable to scream for help I pulled the other knife around and into his back wrapping around his spine. In seconds I cut through his spine and dropped him as I pulled out my stake. I quickly drove it straight threw his back and into his heart silencing him before he had time to heal and call for help. "One down and a lot more to go" was all I thought as I ran towards a female strigoi who was just turning around. I ran up a tree and kicked off landing right behind her where she had just been looking.

Her hand came around just as I rolled under it and kicked her leg in sending her to the ground where she hissed biting her head into the sharp edge of a rock. When she turned around getting ready to kick me I saw the deep gash in her head. Blood was covering her face and blinding her left eye and instantly I knew I had an advantage over this one. I threw the knife in my right hand into her forehead sending her head back down onto the rock as she yelped in pain. Without thinking I kicked her head down into the rock further where I heard I large crack and saw a lot of blood splatter over a nearby tree. I then took the knife out of her forehead while she was healing and regaining herself and wrapped both around her neck and pulled forward. With a small pop of her neck and a gush of blood on m shoes her head fell off and rolled out of sight the look of horror plastered on her face. I shook of the blood and turned around to hear the girls scream.

I ran towards it breathing heavily and I reached where I heard the scream only to find her flashlight. It was neon orange and it was snapped in half with a cracked cap and blub. I threw it out into the smog and looked at the ground trying to figure out where they took her. "Hopefully she'd alive" I muttered as I spotted a deep boot imprint leading back into the grave yard. With that I took off towards the grave yard and used tomb stones for cover in case they were looking for anyone. When I got near a large cross looking tombstone I heard voices so I crept closer and looked out from behind a large tomb. The kind where you put the dead in above ground and close a large marvel door. Instantly I put the pieces together and knew the tomb most have been dug out from the inside to make a base of some sorts. Getting closer I spotted two guards that looked like they could be body builders. I pulled out my knives again cursing as I wished I didn't leave the silver ones at home with the old man. Without another thought I scaled the tomb and stealthy moved across the flat marvel surface and jumped of aiming to land between the two of them. The blades instantly digging into each of the shoulders and bringing them down with me as I knelt down and prepared my next move.

Ripping the knives out the back of their shoulder blades they let out a blood coiled scream as it returned to the back of their thick skulls. I smirked as my blades reached their target, the brains spinal cord, with that I twisted the blades and pulled them out to the side letting the bodies fall. Just as I finished decapitating them I heard the scream echo from the tomb. I walked up to the tomb's door to see it was locked tightly, so I jammed the knife in the key hole and broke the lock to save time. The next step involved prying it open and getting in without anyone knowing which was easy and took only a minute or two. Inside was a lot bigger than the outside surprisingly, for one it had the smell of fresh cut marvel lingering in the air which explained why there were no dirt walls as I snuck down the stairs as quietly as I could. I rounded a door to find a group of strigoi sitting at a large round table. Listening in I overheard plans to attack the royal court. One plan in particular caught my attention as it sounded like it might work. It involved weapons, which had to be the smartest idea I've ever heard them come up with, along with coordinated positions and armored vehicles. I stayed there recording the meeting on my phone until it ended where I sent it to the old man. I heard them stand up and begin leaving and I knew that it was time to get on with my main objective, freeing the girl or any prisoners if they were alive.

After a little while I found the room everyone was being kept in and to my luck the girl was alive. I pulled a rock out of my pocket and threw it to the other side of the hall I was hiding in. One of the two guards came out and walked towards it with a gun in his hand. I rushed him and managed to knock the gun out of his hand just as he turned around. His stumbled back a few feet before throwing a powerful kick at my chest which I managed to block easily with minor damage to my left arm. Spinning around his first punch I kicked him into the wall and he stabbed his back pulling the knife up into his heart where he then dropped. Next I forced my stake into his heart just as the second guard came rushing out. Built like a brick he slammed into the wall as I jumped out of his path and threw the knife into his heel forcing him to fall to the ground. I rushed him looking for an opening as he quickly swept my leg out from under me and pinned me to the ground. "Time to die little boy" he hissed in my ear and bit down into my neck. It's hard to contrite when endorphins don't affect you and the pain does, but biting back my pain I drew a deep breath and snapped my fingers. In seconding he was rolling on the ground trying to put out the fire that was engulfing his head and by the time he did I was hovering over him with my stake poised to kill him. He hissed as my stake split his rib in two and pierced his heart. His eyes rolled back as his head tilted to the left letting blood pour out of his burn mouth. Wasting no time I entered the room everyone was kept in and snapped blowing the locks to pieces for each makeshift cell. "Is anyone here an earth user?" I asked and several moroi spoke up. I picked a young boy about twelve years old and asked him to focus on the wall and imagine a tunnel forming that led to the forest. I focused and poured my energy into his hands and in seconds the tunnel formed and captured dhampir's started leading everyone out as the humans ran for dear life. The girl came to me wielding her stake she had just jot back with a smile on her face. "You think you can teach me some of what you know, even if you're a moroi?" She asked spitting the "moroi" part out like it was a disgrace. A few other dhampir joined her and one I could tell was a fully fledged guardian that stood with the group like a leader walked over to me.

"We need to get the moroi out of here Haley, what's keeping you?" He asked the girl who put on a straight face and pointed to me. "Who's this moroi and what's taking him so long to leave?" He stared at me dumb folded like I was some kind of idiot for staying behind.

"He's the moroi who freed us just now while you were asleep." Haley answered him and instantly the dhampir laughed. After a minute or two he looked at me like I was some kind of joke. I didn't mind since it had been years since moroi fought back and it's while most Dragomir's were dead in the first place. We never ran we always fought back in the end. "Gage I'm serious." She whined and gave him a quick shove in which he stumbled back and fell.

"You've got to be joking it'd been forever since we've had a talented moroi and you expect me to believe that he saved us." He said pointing at me like I wasn't there.

"Yes…." She replied and that was all I heard before my phone rang and the old man began talking.

"Looks like you won't be home tonight Case." He laughed and briefed me on the details to this "new" mission. It was a cleanup in which I was to make sure all plans were eliminated and not one strigoi escaped. After I finished the call and hung up I turned to the two just as Roxine entered the room.

"You two need to go now." I said pushing towards the tunnel. They resisted and I only managed to get them out after I gave them my number. For some reason they wanted to keep contact with me. After that I closed the tunnel after everyone was out and looked to Roxine who was behind me. "What are you doing here?" I asked seeing she was outfitted for combat more than I was. Her answer was throwing me the knives I had left at the house and I was pretty sure she was her to assist in the mission.

"Let's get going Case." She said with a smile as she twirled her stake in her hand. I just nodded and picked up the backpack she then threw at me. I opened it to find grade A explosives and the closed it and slung the bag over my shoulder. I nodded once towards her and we started off into the maze of halls our weapons in hand. This was going to be a long night and I was pretty sure this was a suicide mission.


End file.
